A Killer in the Hive
The Hive is a complex thriller with multiple plots running simultaneously throughout the narrative. The detective Lindsay is investigating two deaths (one recent, the other some years back) linked to the beauty business belonging to Marnie at Spellman Farms; she and her Hive of five enablers have made a fortune selling a range of cosmetics with a special bee additive. At the same time Lindsay is recovering from the unexpected death of her long-term partner Alan - he committed suicide leaving a wife and son behind. All the characters are linked inextricably in this exciting novel.
There are some wonderful descriptions of Marnie's approach to business "Marnie collected women who didn’t mind simply basking in her glow; women who could accept that the reflection of greatness was in itself a worthy purpose " and "She used them, coddled them, abused them, loved them. With Marnie in the room, there was no way of knowing what might happen next. The followers who stayed longest were not only true believers but adrenaline junkies. Marnie was the fix they needed to thrive. It was, most ended up thinking later, a one-sided trade". Even before Lindsay meets Marnie she appears to be smitten by her products "Even while she told herself it was all nonsense, if not flatly offensive, the more time she spent with it, the more Lindsay found herself wanting whatever it was Marnie was selling" and " Again and again, as Lindsay pored over online images of her (researching her case, she told herself), Lindsay
marveled at her. Her beauty really was a light, a radiance that came from somewhere deep inside her. How could she not have drawn people to her?" I began to wonder whether the detective was losing her objectivity.
The book is long, some might say too long; Olsen uses a lot of historical narrative to give the reader a feel for the sad and sometimes acrimonious relationships between his characters. These conversations reveal hidden family ties, secret connections and ultimately the reasons for all three deaths - Alan, Calista and Sarah.
This review was written by Shawn Callon ,author of The Diplomatic Spy
The Hive
There are some wonderful descriptions of Marnie's approach to business "Marnie collected women who didn’t mind simply basking in her glow; women who could accept that the reflection of greatness was in itself a worthy purpose " and "She used them, coddled them, abused them, loved them. With Marnie in the room, there was no way of knowing what might happen next. The followers who stayed longest were not only true believers but adrenaline junkies. Marnie was the fix they needed to thrive. It was, most ended up thinking later, a one-sided trade". Even before Lindsay meets Marnie she appears to be smitten by her products "Even while she told herself it was all nonsense, if not flatly offensive, the more time she spent with it, the more Lindsay found herself wanting whatever it was Marnie was selling" and " Again and again, as Lindsay pored over online images of her (researching her case, she told herself), Lindsay
marveled at her. Her beauty really was a light, a radiance that came from somewhere deep inside her. How could she not have drawn people to her?" I began to wonder whether the detective was losing her objectivity.
The book is long, some might say too long; Olsen uses a lot of historical narrative to give the reader a feel for the sad and sometimes acrimonious relationships between his characters. These conversations reveal hidden family ties, secret connections and ultimately the reasons for all three deaths - Alan, Calista and Sarah.
This review was written by Shawn Callon ,author of The Diplomatic Spy
The Hive
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